The 10 Best Triathlon Bikes

Triathlon bikes are like the bike industry’s playground. Free from the stringent guidelines that govern bikes designed for road racing, engineers are open to explore radical shapes and designs in the name of cheating the wind. “While aero is the primary driving design factor, things like fuel (carrying enough nutrition and hydration efficiently) and fit (making sure the bike can accommodate a wide range of fits that allow our athletes to still run after the bike leg) are critical to take into account,” says Dr. Chris Yu, director of Integrated Technologies at Specialized. While triathlon bikes still face their own unique set of design challenges relative to road time trial bikes, because they aren’t subject to the long arm of the UCI, some of these bikes look really exotic and very cool.

Event Specific

Before you start shopping for a tri bike, it’s important to have a grasp of what kind of triathlons you intend to do.

For sprint- and olympic-distance triathlons that have shorter bike legs (around 12.4 and 24.8 miles respectively), aerodynamics are of paramount importance, and it’s less critical to have a bike that can carry a huge amount of water and nutrition. Along with triathlon-specific bikes, you can also consider a road time trial bike. Even a normal road bike with clip-on aero bars will do the trick if you aren’t ready to take the plunge and buy a whole new bike.

ITU Long (49.6 miles), 70.3 (56 miles), and Ironman (112 miles) distance triathlons have significantly longer bike legs that will have you spending many hours on your bike. Aerodynamics as well as comfort, nutrition, and hydration are critical. Look for a bike that has integrated storage for carrying large amounts of water and nutritional products for easy access on the go.

If international racing—non-drafting events sanctioned by the International Triathlon Union (ITU)—is in your future, an aero road bike will serve you best.

Fast Bike or Fast Wheels

If you’re buying your first tri bike, you can get much more bang for your buck (better frame and components) if you are less concerned with also getting killer wheels at the same time. The most important factor in aerodynamics is you body position, followed by the bike, so if you are stuck between two bikes, choose the one with a better frame and components over better wheels. You can easily upgrade wheels in the future. Of course, if budget allows, you can—for the price of a used car—get a complete package that’s an absolute rocket ship on two wheels.

Here are 10 triathlon bikes we think are worth consideration.

Specialized S-Works Shiv Disc

The S-Works Shiv Disc represents the pinnacle of aero design from Specialized. Freed from the tight design constraints imposed by the UCI, Specialized pulled out all the stops when creating this wind-cheating machine. Shimano’s Dura-Ace Di2 and disc brakes aren’t unexpected on a bike at this price, and 64mm Roval CLX wheels are great all-around wheels. It also features Specialized’s Hydration and Nutrition Fuelcell systems, so you can bring all of the food and drink you need for long bike legs and big training sessions.

Cervélo P5X

A no-holds-barred aero bike from the perennial winner of the Kona bike-count.

No tri bike roundup would be complete without including the top-shelf bike from perennial Kona bike-count winner, Cervélo. This radical-looking bike is a dramatic departure from the classic double-diamond frames we are accustomed to seeing and is reminiscent of the Zipp’s Beam Bike from decades ago. Enve wheels—54mm front and 78mm rear—are incredibly fast in a wide range of wind conditions, and the bike is loaded with places to stash food and water bottles for the longest, hardest races. And let’s not forget that this bike is hung with Dura-Ace Di2 components, so you get the benefit of being able to shift from both the base bar and the aero extensions.

Cervélo P2

If you love Cervélo but don’t feel good about cashing out your IRA to get the P5X, the P2 packs a significant amount of aero benefits into a much more affordable package. The frame design is a result of trickle-down technology thanks to earlier renditions of the P4 and P5 time trial bikes that were designed within UCI guidelines, so this bike has some serious aero chops. Shimano 105 11-speed shifting offers great performance and reliability without driving up costs, and Shimano RS100 aluminum clincher wheels are a great starter wheelset that can be easily upgraded further down the road. Whether you’re new to tri bikes and this fits your budget, or you’ve been bitten hard by the bug and need to upgrade your ride, the P2 is a solid option.

Diamondback Andean 3

A pro-race-ready rocket ship on two wheels for far less than the premium brands.

The Andean 3 is Diamondback’s top tri bike and features a SRAM Red eTap 11-speed drivetrain and fully integrated aero compartments for food and water. The HED Jet 6 Plus Carbon front wheel offers great aerodynamics without a negative impact on handling in strong cross winds, and the Jet 9 Carbon rear wheel is about as fast as you get without going all the way to a full disc wheel. TRP HY/RD disc brakes give you impeccable control that would be nearly impossible to attain with cable-actuated rim brakes. And, finally, this frame just looks hot. If you subscribe to the “look fast, feel fast, go fast” theory then look hard at this bike.

Canyon Speedmax CF 7.0

Bosses for three bottle mounts plus an aero storage compartment for nutrition.

The Speedmax CF 7.0 lacks the space-age frame design of some of its counterparts, but it does carry some serious cache with its stealth, matte black on black color scheme and signature, angular frame design. Bosses on the down tube, seat tube, and seatpost give you the ability to carry plenty of water, and a storage compartment behind the stem is a good spot to carry nutrition for easy access on the go. Shimano 105 11-speed components and Mavic Cosmic Elite wheels offer great performance and an even better price.

Giant Trinity Advanced

A budget-friendly bike based on the same frame design as the Trinity Advanced Pro.

The Trinity Advanced is based around the same frame design as Giant’s top-end time trial bike, the Trinity Advanced Pro, but features some more affordable components to bring it into a more accessible price range. The base-bar and aero extensions are highly adjustable to dial in the perfect fit, and even though there is a place for only one bottle inside the frame, there is a mount behind the saddle for additional bottles. Shimano 105 11-speed components are reliable, and paired with Giant SR-2 aluminum hoops you get great bang for your buck with this bike.

Pinarello Bolide TR+ Carbon T1100 UD

Pinarello may be a new name in the triathlon world, but its expertise in creating fast bikes is indisputable. As if to emphasize that point, Cameron Wurf recently set the Kona course record aboard the Bolide TR+ Carbon T1100 UD. Integrated storage compartments for hydration and nutrition are a significant part of the bike’s aerodynamics, and deep DT Swiss hoops are about as aero as it gets across a wide variety of course conditions. SRAM Red eTap allows you to shift from either the aero extensions or the base bar, and those bars are fully adjustable so you can get into the perfect position that blends aerodynamics with comfort for long bike legs. If you want the bike that’s currently King of the Queen K, this is your machine.

Quintana Roo PRthree

Buy the baseline model or select wheel and CeramicSpeed upgrade options for a killer race bike.

The Quintano Roo PRthree is an elite-level bike outfitted with budget-friendly components and wheels to make it more accessible, as well as easy to work on for the home mechanic. The Shimano 105 11-speed drivetrain is reliable, performs well, and keeps sticker price in check, and an FSA Gossamer Pro crankset adds a little flare. Rim brakes are easy to maintain and easy to travel with, and you get a choice of either aluminum Shimano RS010 wheels or 62mm Reynolds Strike carbon hoops for an additional $1,200. Adding to the custom options are the choice of upgrading to a CeramicSpeed bottom bracket, derailleur pulleys, wheel bearings, or chain. And let’s not forget ample storage for, and easy access to, fluids and nutrition on the go. This bike is a great bargain as it is, and the upgrade options give you the chance to really trick it out if you like.

Ventum Z Mechanical

One of the coolest looking bikes around, and reminiscent of the Lotus bikes popularized by Chris Boardman in the ’90s, this unique frame design has no down tube and integrates water storage into the top tube. This stealth-black bike comes with a mechanical 11-speed drivetrain and mixes Shimano Ultegra derailleurs with Dura-Ace shifters on the aero extensions. Aluminum clincher wheels make great training wheels or starter race wheels, and if you are so inclined you can get, for an upcharge, the Ventum Z outfitted with Ultegra Di2, 65mm Edco Aero Gesero carbon wheels, Knight 65 carbon wheels, or all of the above in the Ironman edition. The Ventum Z is a really hot-looking, pro-level race bike that gives you the option to buy just the bare bones to get rolling or really splurge on a lust-worthy machine.

Felt B14

The Felt B14 represents one of the best values on this list. Mechanical Shimano Ultegra components are a rare bonus in this price range, and Felt’s Bayonet aero bar system is incredibly adjustable and easy to fit to exactly your preference. Although it doesn’t have integrated nutrition storage, Felt’s aero carbon frame does have bosses for two bottles inside the main triangle, and you can always get an additional mount for behind the saddle. FSA Omega compact cranks help keep cost down, and aluminum Devox 30A clincher wheels are great starter race wheels. If you’re looking for your first aero bike, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a much better combination of value and performance than the Felt B14.

Bobby LeaTest Editor, BicyclingBobby is part of the Bicycling Test Team and brings with him a life-long love of bikes and almost 30 years of race experience.

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